This blog will contain an assorted mixture of whatever that pours out of my mind and finds expression in words.. I love the beauty of words, I love my friends and above all I love the dark pearl of Dwaraka, the one and only Krishna

After Bharatha and the ministers left along with the citizens of Ayodhya, Rama thought that he would be accessible to them if he remained in chitrakuuta and there could be more visits and keen on keeping the promise given to his father Rama did not want to have such visits. Hence the lotus eyed Rama proceeded further south into the deep Dandaka Forests . He slayed the ogre Viraadha in his way. In Dandakaaranya he met great sages Sharabhanga, Sutheekshna, Agastya and his brother Idhmavaahana. As desired by the great Sage Agastya Rama received from him a bow, a sword and a pair of quivers which would always carry inexhaustible number of arrows. The weapons were earlier given to Agastya by the lord of heaven, Indra. All the great sages living in the forest paid visits to Rama and reported to him about the atrocities perpetrated by the demons and ogres living around them and in the nearby Janastaana. Rama gave a promise to all the sages who were equal to fire in penance, that he would slay all the demons and ogres and bring peace to them. In the meantime a demoness named Shuurpanakha ( who assumed the name because her nails were as large as a winnowing fan) visited Rama in disguise as a beautiful damsel, requesting him to marry her after abandoning Seetha. The amused Rama suggested Laksmana for her and when Lakshmana was approached with her amorous entreaties, at first he tried to drive her away tactfully and when she persisted with the nuisance and started threatening him after assuming her real huge ugly form, Lakshmana had no hesitation in cutting off her nose and breasts and drive her away. The injured Shoorpanakha ran to her brothers Khara, Duushana and Thrisiras who were the chieftains of the demons in Jalastana. They came for a war with Rama and Rama facing them all alone slayed the three demons and also their army consiting of fourteen thousand rakshasaas. The three demons were the cousins of the Strong King of Lanka, Ravana, and on hearing their disaster and the disfigurement of his only sister suurpanakha, the enraged Ravana decided to wreak venegeance on Rama. For executing his combative plans against Rama, Ravana sought the help of his uncle Maareecha. Maareecha had already had very bitter experience with Rama when her mother Thadaga and his brother subhaahu were killed by Rama and Maareecha could escape narrowly alfter a long flight. Mareecha advised Ravana not to purchase trouble from Rama but the advice fell on deaf ears. (Whenever Ramayana is interrupted, the incident of anointment of Rama as the king of Ayodhya should be recited.. Following the tradition the three slokas from pattahisheka sarga are quoted in the last... When the muhurtham for pattabhishekam arrived, the elderaly Vasishta, followed by other learned people led Rama along with seetha to be seated on a throne made of jewels.. There Vasishta, vaamadeva, jaabali, kashyapa, kaatyaayana, suyajna, gauthama and vijaya, the great sages and ministers of ayodhya, poured holy waters on the royal couple...this resembled the eight vasus performing the abhisheka of the lord of the heaven.. Indra)